Landmarks editorial

EDITORIALscience and trust in the public arena
picked up a bottle of echinacea, an herbal remedy purported tocure upper respiratory infections.
For several days I religiously swallowed the recommended
dosage. By the fifth day, I felt worse. As I struggled to concentrateon work, I took a break by Googling echinacea to look for reportsof its effectiveness. I discovered echinacea has been studied manytimes by medical researchers, and their conclusions have beenremarkably consistent: echinacea does little to cure upper respira-tory infections! Of course, I had to challenge my colleague withthis new information. At the next opportunity, I summarized forhim all the studies reporting the ineffectiveness of echinacea.Upon hearing my summary, he shrugged and said, “I don’t carewhat science says; I’ve used it and it works.”
The common use of deer whistles further confirms the ten-
dency for people to make decisions counter to reliable informa-tion. If a graduate student somewhere ever wishes to researchstrategies to market useless products, deer whistles would makean excellent case study. Deer whistles—little plastic devices thatcan be mounted to the front of an automobile and supposedly emit
By Ben C. West
a high-pitched whistle to frighten deer away from oncoming traf-
Associate Extension Professor, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
fic—are quite simply a sham. Scientists unanimously report they
National Outreach Coordinator, the Berryman Institute
Regardless, one can easily find vehicles with deer whistles
“We must educate the public.” Few mantras have been used as
in most parking lots. What’s more, some reputable organizations,
often in the wildlife management profession. In an era where
like insurance companies, police departments, and rental car com-
people increasingly are separated from the natural world, many
panies, actually promote their use. I once visited an insurance
have noted a lack of basic understanding about ecological sys-
agent with deer whistles installed on his car. When I suggested
tems among the public. In response, the wildlife profession has
how ineffective such devices are, he shrugged much like my echi-
created a plethora of educational programs, and yet continues to
nacea-hooked colleague and responded “My brother has had
them for 10 years, and he’s never hit a deer.” My observation that
Amid the calls for education are regular trips to the altar of
his reasoning was a bit like me saying “I have a green truck, and
science. The wildlife profession is full of people who understand
I’ve never hit one either” didn’t resonate with him.
science, and we believe everyone else should be as committed to
These simple stories of echinacea and deer whistles have
the scientific process as we are. If people would only listen to sci-
profound implications for scientists. If the public doesn’t trust
entists, all would be right with the world.
wildlife professionals about the efficacy of deer whistles, how can
The truth of the matter, though, is that a person’s decision
we expect them to listen to us about bigger, more significant
making is influenced by many factors, only a portion of which
issues? Public relations and education will continue to play an
involve scientific “facts.” In reality, our thinking is shaped by
important role in our work, and we need to understand the diffi-
things like prior experience, social pressure, intuition, genetics,
expediency, and others. Robert Cialdini, in his landmark book
Our first and perhaps most difficult task is to understand
Influence, describes the complex tapestry that is human behavior;
that the public, by and large, will not accept our expertise without
in short, people make judgments in complex ways that belie the
question. To manage this reality, we must begin engaging our
assumption that simply providing science-based information will
publics in ways that create long-term relationships based on trust,
acceptance and collaboration. Indeed, as resource management
Scientists are not immune to this phenomenon. A few years
issues become more complex, we will need better and better lines
ago, a colleague dropped by my office to chat and noticed that I
of communication with the public. Plastic whistles bolted to your
was sniffling and obviously had a cold. “You should get some
local sheriff’s cars to serve as a first line of defense may only be
echinacea,” he mentioned, “it works great.” This colleague—who,
silly and a bit amusing, but future problems are likely to be far
by the way, is an accomplished scientist—has been trustworthy in
more serious. When those serious issues arise, a trusting relation-
the past, so I stopped by the local pharmacy later that day and
ship with our publics will be essential to our success.